


Familiar faces, beautiful memories.

by B_I_A02



Category: Neil Melendez/Claire Browne - Fandom, The Good Doctor (TV 2017)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:26:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25963576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/B_I_A02/pseuds/B_I_A02
Summary: ''Claire’s face became more and more familiar to him. After all, in those perfectly fathomable eyes, laid the biggest part of their silent communication. Her constant presence in the OR, considering the long welcoming hours he spent working in a synchronised pace with her, saved him, not that she knew about it.''A one shot telling how Melendez sees Claire through years.(see the ending for notes :))
Relationships: Claire Browne & Neil Melendez, Claire Browne/Neil Melendez, Melendaire - Relationship
Comments: 24
Kudos: 45





	Familiar faces, beautiful memories.

One of the reasons why Neil was a good surgeon was his exquisite memory. Anatomic positions, former cases, even the sound of an unhealthy heart, all of that came easily to his mind. Obviously, this characteristic wasn’t just a professional one, and maybe, the biggest proof of that, was the omnipresence of her face in his thoughts. Maybe, it’s because her face was naturally alluring, or because he couldn’t stop looking at it, which wasn’t the case. Maybe it was just the indescribable beauty found in there. He didn’t fully understand why, he was just grateful to remember every detail. 

The first time he saw Claire Browne, between the conflicting feelings he felt under her green, apprehensive - by her new job at the hospital - looking eyes, and the realization she was one of the most beautiful people he ever saw in his life – which was a lot considering his past – he noticed her soft curls highlighted by her neutral clothes, and understood in the moment of their first interaction, that working with her would be one of the biggest pleasures of his life. 

While his professional relationship with Claire was developing, his personal relationships were failing, these last ones marked by a broken engagement and a disastrous fling with his friend. In the meantime, Claire’s face became more and more familiar to him. After all, in those perfectly fathomable eyes, laid the biggest part of their silent communication. Her constant presence in the OR, considering the long welcoming hours he spent working in a synchronised pace with her, saved him, not that she knew about it. And because of that, their first professional disagreement hurt like hell. Since her face was already more than a professional one for him, the pain he felt was almost like treason. But it wasn’t bigger than the one he felt when he noticed, on the balcony, that she was experiencing the same feeling. Hers highlighted by the tears on the green eyes he liked so much, those now translating how deep the separation would hurt both of them. That night, she was omnipresent in his thoughts, not in a good way like usual. They only recovered their connection when she kept the real terms of their reconciliation as a secret, restoring the communication and the loyalty they both needed from that moment on. 

When their relationship started to grow beyond the professional boundaries - and Neil had clear memories about that time especially the vulnerability showed by her, when she was sharing her intimate thoughts, she was so beautiful it made him feel like crying - Claire’s face had changed beyond familiarity and comfort. He didn’t know exactly what or when it happened; if it was during their night running, or during their dinners and nights out where they would be immerse in their lively conversations, or even if it was while they were close and in sync in their surgeries. All he knew was that he had started to love that face. It happened naturally, and just like her, this feeling was refreshing, easy, magnificent, and worth the shot. 

The night after the earthquake wasn’t easy though. That night when Neil held the face that was now loved by him beyond adoration, he tried to memorize every detail and imperfection, writing on that lines all the future that he thought was lost. It was unimaginably hard to even think about let go of the biggest privilege he had, which was love and to be loved by her. It was heart-breaking to see the sadness in her eyes. They looked like a thousand years older after so much grieving, the imminent loss, the big ‘what if’, the sorrow that was caused by the loss of an unmatched connection. It was impossible to let go of the ‘I love you’ said by them, so when the darkness came, it was her face that stuck with him until his conscious was gone. 

The light returned after an unclear amount of time, and the first thing he saw was Claire’s face. She was no longer lying on his chest and her eyes now had dark circles and showed emotional exhaustion. It almost made him believe he had died and gone to heaven. The only thing that proved he was still alive somehow, was the excruciating pain in the following months of recovery. But even then, she was there, close, even when he didn’t want it or need it, showing abundant concern, exhaustion, pain, strength, but also love. And because he knew that love was for him, he managed to get up every morning. With her physical and emotional support, he took the first step towards a long journey towards a full recovery, and she was with him every step of the way. 

After some time on this new change, their connection was undeniable by everyone including themselves, and many barriers where broken and modified. Including the physical one, showing them that their link and synchrony was now beyond the OR, he felt prepared to do the second thing he loved the most: operate. And of course, Claire was there again, her expression showing nothing but support, just like he did with her. Later that day, after a very successful surgery, Neil proposed. It was very intimate and simple, just like their relationship. Maybe for a second, he saw fear on the face he loved so much now, but this feeling was quickly replaced by the certainty they both felt in that moment. 

On their wedding day, where there were known and loved faces, Claire’s eyes glistened with the tears that began filling his eyes. Those tears came from the gratitude he felt for their story, and for her. Tears fell on her face too, and when he said ‘I do’, he knew that he made the best decision of his life, just like that, clear as a day, like his feelings for her. 

Life with Claire, was easy, but not without surprises. Neil definitely didn’t expect that something that caused him so much joy could bring so much worries to her. The following months were hard. But as soon as the doubts felt by her for accidentally starting a family with him were replaced by the wonders of the possibilities, they experienced one of their best moments. Maybe their surpassing moment was the one where he held their first daughter in his arm, and the absolute joy that came with it, since her face copied her mom’s, but also stole some of his traits too, creating a beauty he didn’t know it could exist, not even in his wildest dreams. The only comparable thing to it, was Claire’s expression in that exact moment. 

Now, after so many years, going through familiar and new faces, Claire’s was the one he probably liked the most. Neil couldn’t help but feel joy on where his life now was. He never believed, not in one million years, that he could have the life he had now, and he definitely didn’t used to believe that a person could became his home. He didn’t foresee it, but he was grateful every day of his life for the chance to create new and vivid memories with her, and even more, he was forever thankful for the owner of the face he loved the most, Claire Browne.

**Author's Note:**

> First I need to say a massive thank you to Ela for helping me by reviewing this since english is not my first language.  
> I wanna thank my br girls too, who gave me so much love after reading it in first hand. Muito Obrigado <3.  
> As I said, english is not my first language so this my sound cringe and a little bit off lol, I hope you enjoy it anyway.  
> Additionally, thank you to my melendaire girls at twitter, I love our community, and grieveing/hoping with you have been one of the best and craziest experience ever. I love yall <3  
> Also, thank you reader!  
> #bringbackmelendez and give #melendaire the life they deserve (this one is for shorez lol)


End file.
